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Right now I practice about two hours a day and could easily do twice that. I've got some depression issues going right now that seem to be more destructive to practice and concentration than jobs or kids or whatever.

It depends since I'm working as a music teacher so there's no fixed amount of time...I have to just fit in whatever time that I'm able to, I'm okay so as long as I manage to get what I'm supposed to get done

When I was prepping for my past concerts this year, I put in 3-6 hours a day, which pretty much killed me...usually it's closer to 2-6 hours a week during school and 3 hours per day in summer. Last year it was maybe 4 hours a week cause I had more work to do.

I don't get to practice much because I'm in one of the more demanding engineering programs in north America..

#2035215 - 02/18/1311:12 AMRe: How much time do you get to practice?
[Re: JoelW]

Pogorelich.
4000 Post Club Member
Registered: 12/28/08
Posts: 4690
Loc: not somewhere over the rainbow

What I always find fascinating is people who have a non-music related job, the typical 8 hours a day, and still find the energy to practice every day. How do you do it???

I mean, when I have class and work on the same day, which can total about 8 hours, my practicing suffers immensely because my brain is just not as fresh as when I practice first thing in the day. And then I barely get anything done and usually can't do more than 3-4 hours.

_________________________"The eyes can mislead, the smile can lie, but the shoes always tell the truth."

What I always find fascinating is people who have a non-music related job, the typical 8 hours a day, and still find the energy to practice every day. How do you do it???

I mean, when I have class and work on the same day, which can total about 8 hours, my practicing suffers immensely because my brain is just not as fresh as when I practice first thing in the day. And then I barely get anything done and usually can't do more than 3-4 hours.

Can't answer for everybody, but when I was doing this, I practiced before work. That way, my brain was fresh. Conversely, sometimes I would also practice very late (just before going to bed). This helped me to get my brain 'out of the way' and let the music flow better. (Obviously, I didn't work on anything 'technical' during those latter sessions! )

Of course, even on those days, I'm only talking about 30-60 minutes of practice, max. Often, I would have to make up for it on the weekends.

_________________________
Every day we are afforded a new chance. The problem with life is not that you run out of chances. In the end, what you run out of are days.

What I always find fascinating is people who have a non-music related job, the typical 8 hours a day, and still find the energy to practice every day. How do you do it???

I mean, when I have class and work on the same day, which can total about 8 hours, my practicing suffers immensely because my brain is just not as fresh as when I practice first thing in the day. And then I barely get anything done and usually can't do more than 3-4 hours.

I'm struggling with this problem at the moment. I need my job though, to fund my taste for expensive kitchen utensils.

What I always find fascinating is people who have a non-music related job, the typical 8 hours a day, and still find the energy to practice every day. How do you do it???

I mean, when I have class and work on the same day, which can total about 8 hours, my practicing suffers immensely because my brain is just not as fresh as when I practice first thing in the day. And then I barely get anything done and usually can't do more than 3-4 hours.

Usually I take a really long break before I start practicing, so that means that I end up eating dinner at ridiculous hours... but most of the time piano's not work, so it's a bit relaxing. But when there are performances coming up...the pressure helps me to focus.

I practice pretty much everyday. Maybe 9 out of 10 days in the long run. I'll normally practice 60 min interspersed with 30 min of breaks making for a total of 1 hour 30min sometimes switched with 30 min before work, 30 min after as the day warrants. I'd practise more if I wasn't so busy. I'm not sure if I'm objectively productive by comparison but do feel productive at the piano.

I would love to have more time for practicing. I work full time during the day, and teach a couple nights a week, plus have my own music lessons and rehearsals in the evenings. I'm preparing for a piano diploma exam right now (RCM), so I force myself to carve out practice time. Since January, I've been spending 30-mins every morning before work on technical requirements, and then about an hour later in the day on repertoire. On Saturdays, I can usually squeeze in more practice time -- about 3 hours. Also, I've just recently gained access to a church's C7, so I can go there to practice late at night (my husband doesn't like me practicing after 10 p.m.).

Originally Posted By: Pogorelich.

What I always find fascinating is people who have a non-music related job, the typical 8 hours a day, and still find the energy to practice every day. How do you do it???

Often when I'm driving home from work, the thought of practicing or teaching when I get home exhausts me, but I find once I start, I get my second wind. Since it's not what I do all day, the hours I get to spend doing 'music stuff' are still really special and energize me rather than draining me. I do find however, that I can only handle a couple hours max of practicing after working all day. After that, I'm not able to focus.

Time gets lost when I'm at the piano. an hour, two, sometimes (rarely three) but never in such blocks of time. I might wander there for a few minutes to work on a measure that's giving me a challenge, or actually focus in for a larger block of time.

Sometimes I'm focused, sometimes not, but the time I spend is always rejuvenating.

I'm not under any pressure (except the internal 'why the @#$(*@#$& can't that trill settle down and sound natural', or some such), don't care about grades (although I get a grade for my lessons).

My MBTI (Meyers Briggs Type Indicator) score is INFP, heavy on the 'introvert' - meaning time by myself is especially enjoyable - so this makes sense.

What I always find fascinating is people who have a non-music related job, the typical 8 hours a day, and still find the energy to practice every day. How do you do it???

It's hard. Teaching is exhausting. I have to be "on" for 5 straight hours and the multitasking doesn't stop from 6:30 until 3:30 p.m. All the while I'm working, there is a little voice in the back of my head that really wants to be practicing. When I get home, my son or husband needs attention or dinner needs cooking or there are chores. I usually squeeze in about 90 minutes a day, even on weekends. The worst thing is when I finally have some time to sit down to practice and my mind is just too exhausted to concentrate. I have no time for TV and I squeeze in about 30 minutes to read. It's a long day. On the up-side, I get long vacations and my summers off. Then I can practice 3 or 4 hours a day, sometimes more.

2 hours a day during the week although sometimes I cannot make time at all. During the weekend I do more. Up to 4 hours. I am always exhausted so I do Bach pieces in the end. It always wakes me up. I have to do romantic pieces before anything else. Otherwise it makes me sleepy. I am in the middle management in my company and work 6 AM through 4 PM. Its a highly technical ans demanding job. By the time I exercise my dogs and feed dogs & husband, it's always 8:30 PM!